Method for measuring the average vertical permeability of a subterranean earth formation

ABSTRACT

A method for measuring the average vertical permeability of a subterranean earth formation by extending a well borehole into the earth formation and sealing off the well borehole at least adjacent to the portion of the formation desired to be measured. The sealed-off portion of the well borehole is perforated at least at two vertically spaced points in the well borehole and the well borehole is sealed off between the perforations. Fluid is then flowed at a substantially constant rate through one of the perforations at one of the points while the pressure response in the well borehole is measured at the perforations of the other of the points without flowing fluid through the latter perforation.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Michael Pratt 3,332,483 7/1967 Wyllie 73/155 X Houston Tex.

Primary Examm er.lerry W. Myracle 969 Attorneys-Louis .l. Bovasso and .I. H. McCarthy [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 I73] Assignee Shell Oil Com pony New York, N.Y.

[54] METHOD FOR MEASURING THE AVERAGE ABSTRASJT: A method for measuring the average vertical VERTICAL PERMEABIUTY OF A permeability of a subterranean earth formationby extending a SUB-"IR MEAN EAR-"l FORMATION well borehole m to the earth formation and sealing off the well 7 Chin, 4 Buying 18$ borehole at least ad acent to the portion of the formation desired to be measured. The sealed-off portion of the well U.S. borehole is perforated at least at two vertically spaced points 0 E2111 10 in the well borehole and the well borehole is sealed off 0' between the erforations is then flowed at a substantiall constant rate through one of the rforations at one of [56] Rd'rmces cued the r uoints while the pressure response i h the well borehole is UNITED STATES PATENTS measured at the perforations of the other of the points without 3.285964. 1 ll 1 966 Greenkorn et al 73/155 flowing fluid through the latter perforation.

8 22 CONTROL AND l8'-\ l4 RECORDING MEANS PATENTEDSEPMISYI 3,604,256

' SHEET 1 BF 2 W5C ANS H RECORDING MEANS 22 CONTROL AND w RECORDING MEANS INVENTOR MICHAEL PRATS HIS ATTORNEY MEASURED PRESSURE PSIG PATEME'DSEP141911 SHEET 20F 2 F(Z/H, Z'/H)=G(Z/H, Z'/H)+ Hm-m P u- N FIG. 3

SLOPE 22.5 PSI/CYCLE I o $051042 PSI TIME, HRS.

FIG. 4

INVENTORI MICHAEL PRATS O?@ XW' HIS ATTORNEY.

METHOD FOR MEASURING THE AVERAGE VERTICAL PERMEABILITY OF A SUBTERRANEAN EARTH FORMATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to well testing; and, more particularly, to a method for measuring the average vertical permeability of a subterranean earth formation.

2. Description of the Prior Art Knowledge about the vertical permeability of oil and gas producing formations is sometimes necessary to properly anticipate the production performance of a subterranean reservoir. The spacing of wells, the rates of production, stimulation procedures, and pressure maintenance programs, for both primary and secondary recovery, are based to a large extent upon a determination or estimation of such reservoir heterogeneities.

Various techniques are currently available to the industry for testing and measuring the behavior of reservoir fluids and matrices. However, other than the use of vertical permeability measurements on cores recovered from a subterranean earth formation, no prior art method is available for determining the vertical permeability of a formation. This is in contrast to the numerous methods for analyzing pressure responses to obtain the average horizontal permeability of reservoirs. Core measurements of vertical permeability do not necessarily represent effective in situ values. Cores may be representative of only localized pockets of high or low permeability, and total reliance on cores might overlook the presence of vertical fractures or of extensive impermeable oil shale streaks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a method for measuring the average vertical permeability of a subterranean earth formation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for measuring the average vertical permeability of a subterranean earth formation utilizing a single well borehole.

These objects are preferably accomplished by extending a well borehole into a subterranean earth formation and sealing off the well borehole at least adjacent to the portion of the formation desired to be measured. The sealed-off portion of the well borehole is perforated at least at two vertically spaced points in the well borehole and the well borehole is packed off between the perforations. Fluid is then flowed at a substantially constant rate through one of the perforations at one of the points while the pressure response in the well borehole is measured at the other of the points without flowing fluid through the latter perforation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a well borehole in accordance with the teachings of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of an alternate method of my invention applied to the well borehole of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are graphical illustrations of the information derived from the well borehole of F IG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, F IG. 1 shows earth formation 11 overlying a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation 12. The hydrocarbon-bearing formation 12 is confined by lower layer 13. A well borehole 14 is sealed off adjacent to the portion of the formation 12 it is desired to measure. For example, well borehole 14 is preferably cased with casing 15 cemented therein as is well known in the art. Casing I is cemented throughout the production interval desired to be measured in such a manner that there is no communication (other than through formation 12) between the injection and measuring intervals as will be discussed further hereinbelow.

preferably disposed-in the well borehole 14 adjacent substantially to the top of formation 12 while perforation 17 is preferably disposed substantially at the bottom of formation 12, as can be seen in FIG. 1. The distance L between perforations 16 and I7 is preferably no less than about 25 well borehole radii. Finally, although only two such perforations 16 I and 17 have been shown, obviously a plurality of perforations may be disposed substantially adjacent to the top and bottom of the formation 12 as long as each pattern of perforations is close enough such that the injection and measuring intervals (perforations l7 and 16, respectively, as will be explained further hereinbelow) are relatively short compared to the distance between them, i.e. around l0 percent or less of the distance L. Thus, the well borehole 14 must not be perforated extensively over the producing interval desired to be measured. However, although it is indicated that well borehole 14 is preferably cased over its entire extent adjacent to the producing interval desired to be measured, thereby excluding well boreholes that are completed open holes, large selected areas of such open well boreholes may be temporarily sealed, such as by the use of large inflatable packers, as is well known in the art.

In either case, there must be no communication behind the well casing 15 between the perforations l6 and 17. Thus, the concepts of this invention may not be applicable to gravelpacked intervals or poorly cemented well boreholes unless such boreholes are sealed as discussed hereinabove.

Preferably, the method of my invention is applied to subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs having single mobile fluid at a uniform pressure, for example a new oil reservoir having no free gas saturation. However, effective fluid properties, and even relative permeability information, may be used in interpreting results when more than a single mobile fluid is present in the formation. Such methods are available for conventional pressure buildup interpretation, and are also applicable here.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, a fluid, as for example formation fluid or the like, is flowed through perforation 17. This may be accomplished by injecting such fluid down tubing string 18 past packer 19 as is well known in the art. It can be seen in FIG. I that packer l9 and well casing 15 seals perforation 16 from perforation 17 so that any pressure response at perforation 16 is transmitted solely through formation 12. Alternately, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIG. 1, fluid may be injected down tubing string 18 above packer I9 and through perforation 16 into formation 12. In both cases, instead of injecting fluid through the perforations, formation fluid may be flowed from formation 12, out the respective perforation (e.g. perforation 17 in FIG. 1) and out of the tubing string 18.

The fluid is either produced or injected at substantially a constant mass rate of flow through a short interval (e.g. perforation 17 in FIG. 1) near the top or bottom of formation 12 (FIGS. 2 and 1, respectively) with the pressure response being measured through another short interval in the same well borehole 14 (e.g. perforation 16 in FIG. I and perforation 17 in FIG. 2), which perforation is packed off from the first,

witho ut either producing or injecting fluid through the latter perforations. This may be accomplished by lowering a conventional pressure-sensitive device such as a pressure gauge 20 attached to line 21 down well borehole 14 into communication with the perforation being measured (perforation 16in FIG. 1

and perforation 17 in FIG. 2). Line 21 may be raised and lowered in well borehole 14 by means of a winch 22 or similar device, coupled to a surface control and recording means 23.

compressibility c and viscosity u at an initially uniform pressure 1r and to have uniform porosity The permeability anisotropy of formation 12 is considered, one of the principal axesbeing vertical. in thehorizontal plane, permeabilities are equal in all directions, whereas the vertical permeability k, can have any constant value. it is desired, in accordance with the teachings of my invention, to measure k, in situ.

Any method in which it is desired to determine the average vertical penneability of a formation must involve vertical fluid flow over the region being measured. in operation in the field, operating practice generally results in fluids flowing parallel to the formation bedding planes rather than normal to them. In order to determine the average vertical permeability of a formation then, it is necessary to develop a test involving the vertical flow of fluids over the region being measured.

Thus, in accordance with my invention, withdrawal or injection of fluid from a reservoir through a single perforation is one way to obtain some vertical flow in the neighborhood of the well borehole. By making a second perforation, separated from the first by a packer, the vertical pressure response of the formation may be measured. Production of fluids through the perforation used to measure the pressure response is not necessary. it is in fact undesirable, since the measured pressure would be subject to skin effects if fluids are produced.

Since the purpose of the second perforation is only to transmit pressure to a pressure-sensitive device such as gauge 20, such perforation is not considered as a perforation at all in the foregoing computations. On the other hand, in the following computations, the perforation through which the fluid isv flowed is represented mathematically as a point source.

The actual well borehole 14 is considered to have a zero radius. The justification for this assumption is that it has been found mathematically that the disturbance of formation 12 from well borehole 14 dies out with increasing distance from the well borehole 14. Thus, it has been found that, for large times, the size of the well borehole 14 does not affect pressures measured at its wall, provided that the pressure is measured at a distance of at least about 25 r k /k from the injection perforation (r,, the radius of the well, k,, horizontal permeability, and k,,= vertical permeability).

COMPUTATIONS FOR LARGE TIME PRESSURE RESPONSE In all of the following computations, reference may be had to the following table of symbols.

SYM BOLS c fluid compressibility, a constant F(Z,Z') geometrical function which depends on the position of the injection (production) and measuring intervals from the vertical boundaries of the reservoir In formation thickness k,,, It horizontal and vertical permeabilities, respectively In logarithm to base e log logarithm to base l indicates the Laplace Transform of (Pw Pt) which initial formation pressure p, pressure measured at perforation located at z 4 injection rate when positive, roduction rate when n egative R r'r )I( h r, r/r, r, 0, z cylindrical coordinates n AUKF- I') x, y, z Cartesian coordinates z/ Z z'lh z location of perforation, measured from the bottom ofthc reservoir, at which pressure is measured z location of producing (or injecting) perforation measured from the bottom of the reservoir a;

1,, (1/1,) V M/ P Prin Apt by at l tumr t Until viscosity I; pnmmy r R! 41(1) the dlgamma function, equal to the logarithmic derivative of the gamma function The pressure rise at any point of space and time due to a continuous point source of magnitude q at (x, y, z) [where q injection rate when positive and production rate when negative, and x, y, z Cartesian coordinates of the well borehole at the location of the producing (or injecting) perforation measured from the bottom of the reservoir] and placed in an anisotropic infinite medium of permeability k, in the x, y plane and permeability k, normal to the z 0 plane is in terms of the dimensions variables Z, Z, 1r and p,,, equation (2) is given by erfc The order of the integration and summation is interchanged FIG. 4;

l-rom these definitions and equation (9 it follows that for large values of 1r, which correspond to small values of s,

-' no 2--- l i The infinite integral N(== defined by equation (12 is of the LaplaceTransform type and is found to be n iam lyifAjfMagnus, w ,Oberhettinger, F., and Tricomi, F.

(3., (1954), Bareman Manuscript Project, Tables of Integral Transform, v. 1, McGraw-Hill, page 163.

Thus, the large time behavior of the pressure is v It is noted that the only quantity containing the vertical permeability is the second term on the right-hand size of equation The function F(z/h, z'lh), which depends only on the position of the producing and measuring perforations relative to the vertical boundaries of the formation, is presented in graphical form in FIG. 3.

in summary. the preferred procedure to obtain the vertical permeability under the conditions considered in this applicatlon is:

l. Perforate cased we'll borehole 14 near top and bottom of the fonnatioh 12 of known thickness h and determine z/h and 2' from the positions of the perforations with respect to the sand interval;

2. Set a packer 19 with tubing string 18 between the two perforations 16 and 17; v

3. Inject (or produce) formation liquid through the perforation (perforation 17 of FIG. 1, for example) at z and measure the pressure through the other perforation (i.e., perforation 16 of FIG. 1) at 2 as a function of time;

4. Plot the pressure rise (drop) vs logarithm of time, as in 5. The slope (Ap/l cycle) of the straight line portion of the plot at large times gives the value of hk,,, as in the conventional buildup analysis; 7

6. Extrapolate the straight line portion of the plot to a value of r=l hr., and read the pressure rise (or drop) at that time, which will be denoted as Ap( l 7. Determine k,.from the equation which follows directly from equation (19) and the definition of Ap( l The geometric factor F(z/h, z'lh) is read from FIG. 3, using the values of z/h and z/h determined in step 1 hereinabove.

Since the pressures increase during injection of fluids into the reservoir, it follows from equation (20) that the convention that q 0 must be observed when injecting into the formation 12. Similarly, q 0 when the formation 12 is produced through the perforation (e.g., perforation 17 in FIG. 1). The following is an illustrative example for the case of fluid injection (q 0).

EXAMPLE CALCULATION An example calculation is given in order to illustrate the preferred method for determining the vertical permeability of the formation 15. Assuming the pressure response given in F IG. 4, and the following data:

From equation (20) and the slope of the curve in FIG. 4, 22.5 p.s.i./l cycle, it is found that 162.641 (162.6)(50)(1) (Ap/1 cycle)h (22.5)(50) From FIG: 3, the value of F(0.9, 0.2 is found to be F(0.9, 0.2)=G(0.9, 0.2)+l/0.7=0.7 6+l .43=2.2. I Extrapolation of the curve of FIG. 4 to t=l hr. obtains Ab( 1) =7 p.s.i.

Finally, substitution of these quantities in equation (21 gives 1@..=3790 0.1 1 2 10- 50 [exp Wag =19.6 exp (1.48)=1.8 md.

For this example, then, the ratio of vertical to horizontal permeability is 0.25.

Note that the pressure response is initially small in this illustrative example (see FIG. 4). This is considered to be typical of this type of pressure buildup investigation.

Should Ap( 1) be found to be negative during injection (or positive during production), then the exponent in equation (21) would be negative, and relatively low values of k /k, would be anticipated.

In addition to the limitations regarding the type of well boreholes in which the method of my invention may be used, there may be other practical limitations. For example, if the distance L between the injection (production) interval and the measuring interval is chosen too long and the net vertical permeability is low, the pressure response may not be measurable even in weeks. Or the response may require very sensitive instruments for accurate measurement. On the other hand, if the distance L between the intervals is too short, then the net vertical permeability is only averaged over a short is =7.2 md.

distance. And, of course, if the distance L is comparable to s E LHJLQ? the s sm tiqnt qt QJt Et altti t; intervals, then the interpretation may become questionable.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method for quantitatively determining the average vertical permeability of a single subterranean earth formation comprising the steps of:

extending a well borehole into said single earth formation adjacent the portion of said formation desired to be measured;

sealing said well borehole to a point at least adjacent a portion of said single earth formation desired to be measured;

perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole by forming perforations at least at two vertically spaced points within said well borehole and opposite said single earth formation;

packing off said well borehole between said two points in said well borehole by placing a packer in said well borehole whereby communication is eliminated between said two points;

flowing fluid through at least one of the perforations at one of said points in said well borehole at a substantially constant mass rate of flow; determining the position of said two points with respect to the top and bottom of said single earth formation;

measuring the pressure response in said well borehole at the perforations of the other of said points while flowing said fluid through said first-mentioned perforation without flowing fluid through said last-mentioned perforation; and

quantitatively determining the average vertical permeability of said single earth formation from the measured pressure response and the position of said two points with respect to the top and bottom of the formation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sealing said well borehole includes the step of placing a well casing in said well borehole; and

subsequently perforating said well casing at substantially the top and bottom of said single earth formation on which permeability measurements are made.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole includes the step of perforating said well borehole at least at two points in said well borehole separated by a distance no less than about 25 well borehole radii.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole includes the steps of forming a first series of perforations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the top of said single earth formation; and

forming a second series of perforations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the top of said single earth formation; and

forming a second series of performations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the bottom of said single earth formation, the step of packing off said perforations including the step of placing packer means in said well borehole between said first and second series of perforations, the length of each series of said perforations being no greater than about 10 percent of the distance between the series of perforations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing fluid through at least one of the perforations includes the step of producing formation fluid through said perforation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing fluid through at least one of the perforations includes the step of injecting fluid through said perforation.

7. The method of claim 1 including the step of determining the average vertical permeability (K.,) of said single earth formmm from the following equation:

where P= pressure measured at the perforation being measure minus the initial formation pressure; 1

Ap(l) Ap at 1 hour;

F (z/h,z'/h)=geometrical function which depends on the position of the flowing and measuring points from the vertical boundaries of the formation;

z distance measured from the bottom of the formation of perforation at which pressure is measured; and

Z distance of perforation where fluid is flowed, measured from the bottom of the formation. 

1. A method for quantitatively determining the average vertical permeability of a single subterranean earth formation comprising the steps of: extending a well borehole into said single earth formation adjacent the portion of said formation desired to be measured; sealing said well borehole to a point at least adjacent a portion of said single earth formation desired to be measured; perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole by forming perforations at least at two vertically spaced points within said well borehole and opposite said single earth formation; packing off said well borehole between said two points in said well borehole by placing a packer in said well borehole whereby communication is eliminated between said two points; flowing fluid through at least one of the perforations at one of said points in said well borehole at a substantially constant mass rate of flow; determining the position of said two points with respect to the top and bottom of said single earth formation; measuring the pressure response in said well borehole at the perforations of the other of said points while flowing said fluid through said first-mentioned perforation without flowing fluid through said last-mentioned perforation; and quantitatively determining the average vertical permeability of said single earth formation from the measured pressure response and the position of said two points with respect to the top and bottom of the formation.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sealing said well borehole includes the step of placing a well casing in said well borehole; and subsequently perforating said well casing at substantially the top and bottom of said single earth formation on which permeability measurements are made.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole includes the step of perforating said well borehole at least at two points in said well borehole separated by a distance no less than about 25 well borehole radii.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of perforating said sealed-off portion of said well borehole includes the steps of forming a first series of perforations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the top of said single earth formation; and forming a second series of perforations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the top of said single earth formation; and forming a second series of perforations in said well borehole adjacent substantially to the bottom of said single earth formation, the step of packing off said perforations including the step of placing packer means in said well borehole between said first and second series of perforations, the length of each series of said perforations being no greater than about 10 percent of the distance between the series of perforations.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing fluid through at least one oF the perforations includes the step of producing formation fluid through said perforation.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of flowing fluid through at least one of the perforations includes the step of injecting fluid through said perforation.
 7. The method of claim 1 including the step of determining the average vertical permeability (kv) of said single earth formation from the following equation: where phi porosity of the formation; Mu fluid viscosity in the formation; c fluid compressibility of the formation; h formation thickness; Delta p pressure measured at the perforation being measured minus the initial formation pressure; Delta p(1) Delta p at 1 hour; F(z/h,z'' /h) geometrical function which depends on the position of the flowing and measuring points from the vertical boundaries of the formation; z distance measured from the bottom of the formation of perforation at which pressure is measured; and z distance of perforation where fluid is flowed, measured from the bottom of the formation. 